Bronx Vigil Mourns Boy Killed in E-Bike Battery Fire

Candles and red and blue balloons marked a Bronx building entrance on October 29 as neighbors and friends gathered to remember Zion Maine. The 11-year-old died after a lithium-ion battery caught fire in his family’s apartment the previous day. Four relatives remained in critical condition, including his father, Courtney Maine, his father’s partner, Syida Adams, and two teenage boys in the family.

Fire officials said the blaze began in the family’s kitchen on the 11th floor shortly before 1 a.m. The e-bike was stored near the front door, blocking the family’s exit. Zion was rescued and taken to a nearby hospital, where he died, city officials said.

Residents described watching firefighters carry children from the building and said the family was well loved. At the vigil, people embraced and comforted one another. Adams’ mother, Sheila Patterson, said she had spent two days going between the building and the hospital, and that her daughter and grandson were fighting for their lives.

The FDNY recorded 401 lithium-ion battery fires in New York City this year, compared with 292 last year. The city’s housing authority allows one e-bike to be charged at home, provided it is kept clear of escape routes and an adult remains nearby and alert. Vanessa Gibson, the Bronx’s borough leader, said the area has no regulated site for charging or keeping e-bike batteries and intends to press for an expanded city charging pilot. Residents at the vigil focused on supporting the family and each other rather than assigning blame.